First Buffalo Hunt

[KDF]

I know this is a highly subjective question, but I am interested in opinions on the best place for a first Buffalo hunt. I have hunted plains game in South Africa (northern cape) on a private reserve, and it was fantastic. I am tempted to go go back there. However, I am also thinking about Zambia and/or Mozambique. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

[calling4life]

Are you wanting to use handgun, bow, or rifle?
Are you wanting fair chase, or as fair chase as is possible?
Are you wanting to put miles on, on your feet, in a vehicle, or would you rather sit over bait/water/whatever of some sort?

Do you require any type of special accommodations? Like, I want a catered hot meal every day for every meal, and I need to sleep in an adjustable bed in complete peace and quiet...

 

[Andrew62]

This question needs to start with, 'what is my budget'? If your budget is 10K, then it's South Africa, if you say 15K, then Zim, 20K Mozambique, 25K Uganda, so on and so forth. Personally I have hunted buffalo in Zimbabwe, Cameroon and South Africa, without question my favorite place to hunt buffalo is Zimbabwe. In fact I just literally received an offer back from Dalton Tink for a 2025 buffalo/elephant hunt. There are several outfitters on here offering quality buffalo hunts, Tsala has some awesome buffalo in SA that are probably in the 10K-12K range for an all-in hunt package. I took a buffalo with Game4Safaris last September, Wik had a great deal going on buffalo.

 

[WAB]

You’d go a long way to beat the Zambezi valley in Zim for a proper bush hunt at a fair price.

 

[WAB]

I’d also look at the Upper Luangwa in Zambia and some of
The forest land in Moz. I would not do a swamp hunt in Moz as a first buffalo hunt.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

South Africa will be the most convenient. But Zim will give you a more Africa experience for not much more. If you can afford to fly to camp from Harare or Bulawayo that is a big bonus.

 

[Fatback]

You might want to consider the Caprivi in Namibia as well. There are some good offers that pop up here from AH sponsors that operate in that area from time to time.

 

[mark-hunter]

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

for good answer, define the budget. kevins advice was very much spot on.

 

[grand veneur]

I know this is a highly subjective question, but I am interested in opinions on the best place for a first Buffalo hunt. I have hunted plains game in South Africa (northern cape) on a private reserve, and it was fantastic. I am tempted to go go back there. However, I am also thinking about Zambia and/or Mozambique. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

It is very hard to advise anyone nowadays.

Many of us have hunted in very different countries of Africa but spread out over a period of time so the conditions were not the same as now. I shot my first African buffalo in Uganda and the next two in Tanzania. That was but 30 years ago, so I can hardly recommend nowadays these countries as the first hunting destination for hunting buffalos.

You should be successful on your first buffalo hunt, if possible, so that in this case ideally areas with a high concentration of buffalo would come into question, but that have become partly very expensive. Meaning Tanzania or the delta of the Zambesi in Mozambique for example. I don't know about South Africa, but if you are primarily oriented towards the budget, this country would certainly be an option. As some have written, Zimbabwe is the next option and a step up, although I don't think this country is the number one buffalo country. I am also already returned home from Zimbabwe without a buffalo.

In summary, nowadays I would also orientate myself according to my budget and rely on my luck. There is a chance of shooting a good buffalo in all areas where there this game is present, and the danger of returning home without a buffalo also exists in areas with very high occurrence of buffalos.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I know this is a highly subjective question, but I am interested in opinions on the best place for a first Buffalo hunt. I have hunted plains game in South Africa (northern cape) on a private reserve, and it was fantastic. I am tempted to go go back there. However, I am also thinking about Zambia and/or Mozambique. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Lots of options and factors to consider. Personally I would go for as wild as my budget could handle. If your budget is on the lower end I think this is fantastic offer

Fair Chase Reserve Buffalo Hunt On 44,500 Acres

Good day AH community, After a fantastic 2022 season on the reserve (we unfortunately had a bit of an interrupted hunting season on the reserve in 2021 due to Covid) we are excited to say we can show off the fantastic results from our hunts this year! We visited with 3 different clients from...

www.africahunting.com

 

[BeeMaa]

Look for an unfenced and truly wild experience when it comes to buffalo. Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia would top of the list. Tanzania is another one, but the price jumps up a good bit.

If you are limiting yourself to SA, insist on a self-sustaining herd.

 

[gillettehunter]

Mark Young had an exceptional offer for buffalo in Tanzania earlier this year. Like around $13K if I remember it. There is a current hunt report on that hunt here right now. Seems like a great price for what should be an exceptional hunt.
RSA has some good hunts. Again Zim can be an exceptional place to go. Just make sure what the buffalo density is expected to be when you are there.
Bruce

 

[Inline6]

Like others have said, budget. Once that is established the guys here can help put you on the best hunt per dollar spent. If money is not an issue, they can help you spend it lol.

 

[BRICKBURN]

A couple of options in the countries you are looking at.

@KWALATA SAFARIS
@MBIZI SAFARIS

 

[Rare Breed]

I know this is a highly subjective question, but I am interested in opinions on the best place for a first Buffalo hunt. I have hunted plains game in South Africa (northern cape) on a private reserve, and it was fantastic. I am tempted to go go back there. However, I am also thinking about Zambia and/or Mozambique. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

I highly recommend TSALA. They are in SA. They are a two hour drive from JNB. They ave one of the very best values. I had the best 7 days of my life on that hunt. I took a 43 3/8 bull which now hangs in my office. The family and care is simply outstanding!

 

[Rare Breed]

This question needs to start with, 'what is my budget'? If your budget is 10K, then it's South Africa, if you say 15K, then Zim, 20K Mozambique, 25K Uganda, so on and so forth. Personally I have hunted buffalo in Zimbabwe, Cameroon and South Africa, without question my favorite place to hunt buffalo is Zimbabwe. In fact I just literally received an offer back from Dalton Tink for a 2025 buffalo/elephant hunt. There are several outfitters on here offering quality buffalo hunts, Tsala has some awesome buffalo in SA that are probably in the 10K-12K range for an all-in hunt package. I took a buffalo with Game4Safaris last September, Wik had a great deal going on buffalo.

+1 on this advice! Spot on!

 

[WAB]

Actually I wouldn’t start with the budget. I would decide what type of hunt I want and then determine how long it will take to save for it.

If you really want a bush camp on the Zambezi, it seems very odd to me to go on a ranch hunt in RSA. The cost differential on an all in basis is not that great and going on the less expensive hunt just pushes the hunt you really want to do that much further out.

 

[Inline6]

Actually I wouldn’t start with the budget. I would decide what type of hunt I want and then determine how long it will take to save for it.

If you really want a bush camp on the Zambezi, it seems very odd to me to go on a ranch hunt in RSA. The cost differential on an all in basis is not that great and going on the less expensive hunt just pushes the hunt you really want to do that much further out.

Understand what you mean, the price difference to some will have more of an effect. Meaning some it could take 2 years to save up for a RSA buffalo hunt and might be 5+ years on the more remote side. If that were the case, odds start stacking against someone actually following through. Each individual has to come terms with what they are willing to sacrifice. For some it is money, others time, then some people with responsibilities that won't allow them to leave. I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. Reading through all the pages on this forum we have people from all walks of life. Some money is no object, for most that I have seen, it is a strong consideration.

 

[Brian]

We keep going back to Africa Dawn Hunting Safaris. It is our favourite by far. ( I have only hunted in South Africa.) We are booked there for three hunter this year, I hunt buffalo, my son and grandson hunt plains game. african-dawn.co.za. To the best of my recollection, I don't think that you will ever see a fence when you are buffalo hunting there. Good people, well run operation, good in the bush.

I hear good things about TSALA also. Wherever you go in South Africa ask before you book if you will be the only party in camp and is the camp situated right on the hunting grounds. You will love hunting cape buffalo! I try to sneak within 50 yds to make a nice shoulder shot.

 

[WAB]

Understand what you mean, the price difference to some will have more of an effect. Meaning some it could take 2 years to save up for a RSA buffalo hunt and might be 5+ years on the more remote side. If that were the case, odds start stacking against someone actually following through. Each individual has to come terms with what they are willing to sacrifice. For some it is money, others time, then some people with responsibilities that won't allow them to leave. I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. Reading through all the pages on this forum we have people from all walks of life. Some money is no object, for most that I have seen, it is a strong consideration.

Fair point. However, I don’t think the difference is that great. A $10k RSA hunt will likely cost $15 all in with travel and taxidermy. In 2019 I hunted Dande with Len Taylor (CMS) for $20k all in.